A search for “how to be successful” generates millions of hits on everything from “how to be successful in an orchestra audition” to “how to be successful during peak house hunting season” to the more general “how to be successful in life.” And “how to be successful at work” generates several hundred thousand hits. I often wonder if people who give advice on how to be successful are themselves successful. (Want to bet many aren’t?)
Of course, the brevity of most of these articles means the advice they offer is simplistic. It would be wonderful if success at work were as easy as following five simple steps, including being a team player and not missing deadlines. Not that these five steps are bad advice; it’s just that following them is anything but easy, and it’s no guarantee of success.
Still, an occasional glance at things that contribute to success could be worthwhile. For example, if you want to be successful, be an indispensable resource. Consider implementing some quiet rituals, such as eliminating needless busywork, focusing on the positive, and stretching yourself. Focus not just on technical skills, but also on people skills, such as listening, patience, empathy, and a sense of humor.
What you do first thing in the morning can contribute to success. For example, some purportedly successful people step back and reflect, greet the team, and avoid distractions. And they don’t hold early meetings. (Of course, some people would feel more successful if they could avoid meetings all day long!)
There are also things successful people do on Monday mornings, as well as things they do before breakfast. And let’s not overlook things they do differently. Clearly, if you avoid reading all the articles about things successful people do, you have a lot more time in your life to strive for success!
Interestingly, few of the articles on how to be successful define what they mean by “successful.” Success in life could mean feeling happiness, having life balance, accomplishing certain things, having a pile of cash under the mattress, or any of several other things. And success at work could mean being able to do the job well, being respected by your coworkers and boss, and feeling a sense of accomplishment. Or it could mean hanging onto your job after the next round of layoffs. We each have to decide for ourselves what success means to us.
In any case, if you really want to learn from successful people, don’t look only at what they did right. Consider also their mistakes. Successful people didn’t just wake up one day as successes. They may have done many things right, but they also did a lot of things wrong along the way. Learn those lessons and you’ll be well on your way.
